Apparatus for sewing rings, buckles and the like elements onto tape

Abstract

Apparatus for forming components of shoulder straps for ladies garments including tapes with either a buckle or a ring sewn onto one end. The apparatus allows the sewing to be performed with a non-linear seam, by means of a sewing machine of the type which moves its bed and sewing foot through a predetermined path while sewing is being performed by a needle. The apparatus includes a special holding device for the ring or buckle element which allows this movement to occur, the holding device including a main body part and a holding part, the holding part having clamping means for the element. The body part is movable to suitably position the holding part firstly in a position to receive an element from a magazine and secondly in the sewing position. The holding part and body part have interengaging sliding surfaces allowing movement of the holding part relative to the body part in a plane parallel to those parts of the tape clamped by the sewing foot and bed when the body part is in the sewing position, and the body part includes releasable locking means for locking the holding part firmly in the body part during transfer of an element from the magazine to the holding part, and during movement of the device to the sewing position. The locking means are releasable so that the holding part is free to move with the tape being sewn, during sewing.

The embodiments of the present invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A device for holding an element such as a ring, buckle, or the like while said element is being sewn onto a tape by a sewing machine equipped with a sewing foot and bed capable of moving a tape clamped therebetween through a predetermined path to sew a non-linear seam across the tape, said device comprising a main body part and a holding part, said holding part having clamping means for said element, said body part being movable to suitably position said holding part firstly in a receiving position to receive said element from a supply source and secondly in a sewing position in which said element is disposed adjacent said foot and bed of the sewing machine and so positioned that after threading of said tape through said element parts of said tape adjacent said element may be clamped between said foot and said bed for sewing, and said holding part and said body part having inter-engaging sliding surfaces for movement of said holding part relative to the body part in a plane parallel to those parts of the tape clamped by said foot and bed when the body part is in said sewing position, said body part including releasable locking means for locking said holding part firmly in said body part during transfer of an element from said supply source to said holding part and during movement of said device to the sewing position, said locking means being releasable when the device is in the sewing position so that the holding part is free to move with the tape being sewn which is moved through said predetermined path by the sewing foot and bed. 
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said locking means include two spaced pins slidable in bores in said body part and engageable in recesses in said holding part, and fluid cylinder means mounted on said body part for urging said pins into said recesses in the holding part. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said element is a buckle and including a pivot mounting for said main body part, means for pivoting said main body part through about a right angle to firstly position the holding part to receive horizontally disposed buckle elements supplied from said source and to move the buckles into a second, threading position in which the buckles are vertically disposed adjacent the operative part of the sewing machine, said holding part engaging edges of the buckle to allow threading of tape through both slots of the buckle while the buckle is held in the threading position by the holding part. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said main body part includes a parallel sided recess, wherein said holding part includes a parallel sided portion slidable within said recess, and wherein said clamping means are arranged to hold said buckle perpendicularly to the sliding surface of said parallel sided portion. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said locking means include pins slidable in said main body part to engage in correspondingly positioned recesses in said parallel sided portion to lock said portion firmly in said parallel sided recess of the body part and wherein said pins are movable into said correspondingly positioned recesses by cylinder means located near the pivot mounting of said body part. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said element is a ring and wherein said main body part is mounted on a horizontally movable carriage movable from a threading position to a sewing position at the side of the operative part of a sewing machine remote from the threading position, whereby movement of the ring from the threading to the sewing position causes an end portion of the tape which has been pushed through the ring to be doubled over against the main portion of the tape, to provide adjacent parts of tape which can move through said predetermined path by the sewing foot and bed. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus for securing an element such as a ring, buckle, or the like on to a tape by sewing, comprising: a sewing machine euipped with a sewing foot and bed capable of moving a tape clamped therebetween through a predetermined path to sew a non-linear seam across the tape,   a source of supply of said elements,   a holding and transfer device for receiving one of said elements from said source and holding said element clamped,   a source of supply of said tape,   means for feeding said tape to a position adjacent said element and for feeding a free end of said tape through said element while the element is held by the holding and transfer device:   wherein said holding and transfer device includes a main body part and a holding part said holding part having clamping means for said elements, said body part being movable to suitably position said holding part firstly in a receiving position to receive said element from the supply source and secondly in a sewing position in which said element is disposed adjacent said foot and bed of the sewing machine and so positioned that after threading of said tape through said element parts of said tape adjacent said element may be clamped between said foot and said bed for sewing, and said holding part and said body part having inter-engaging sliding surfaces for movement of said holding part relative to the body part in a plane parallel to those parts of the tape clamped by said foot and bed when the body part is in said sewing position, said body part including releasable locking means for locking said holding part firmly in said body part during tranfer of an element from said supply source to said holding part and during movement of said device to the sewing position, said locking means being releasable when the device is in the sewing position, so that the holding part is free to move with the tape being sewn which is moved through said predetermined path by the sewing foot and bed.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said element is a buckle and including a pivot mounting for said main body part of the holding and transfer device, and means for pivoting said main body part through about a right angle to firstly position the holding part to receive horizontally disposed buckle elements supplied from said source and to move the buckles into a second, threading position in which the buckles are vertically disposed adjacent the operative part of the sewing machine, said holding part engaging edges of the buckle to allow threading of tape through both slots of the buckle while the buckle is held in the threading position by the holding part. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said element is a ring and including a horizontally movable carriage mounting said main body part of the ring holding and transfer device, said apparatus also including a threading station having a tape threading punch which is positioned to punch the end portion of a tape through a ring held by said holding part when the tape and ring have been placed in overlapping relationship, said carriage being operative to move the ring holding and transfer device from said threading station to a sewing position which is at the side of the operative part of a sewing machine remote from the threading station, whereby movement of the ring from the threading station to the sewing position causes the end portion of the tape which has been pushed through the ring to be doubled over against the main portion of the tape, to provide adjacent parts of tape which can be sewn together in the operative part of the sewing machine. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus for securing a ring element to a tape including a joining machine, means for supplying horizontally disposed ring elements to a delivery point, a ring holding and transfer device arranged to receive the horizontally disposed elements when fed thereto by delivery means, said holding and transfer device including clamping means for said elements which clamping means are such as to engage only around a minor portion of the periphery of the element whereby both said delivery means and said clamping means can simultaneously hold parts of a ring element, tape advancing means for advancing tape in a first direction to position a free end of the tape in overlapping relationship with the ring element as held by the holding and transfer device, means for temporarily supporting the element, means for punching a free end portion of the tape through the ring element while held by said clamping means and supported by said support means, and means for moving the holding and transfer device to move the element horizontally in said first direction through the operative part of a joining machine in such manner that the free end portion of the tape engages a bed of the machine and is folded alongside a main portion of the tape to position both thicknesses of tape in the operative part of the joining machine. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said tape advancing means includes a horizontally movable carriage supporting clamping elements for the tape material, and wherein said carriage is movable from the retracted position to an advanced position in which advanced position the clamping elements are positioned over a portion of the ring and just short of the path of the movement of the punching means, the travel of said carriage corresponding to the length of tape required to be attached to the ring, and further comprising knife means operable when the threading means is in retracted position to sever the tape at a point suffficiently in advance of the outer end of the clamping elements to provide an end portion of the tape suitable for threading through the ring. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said clamping means for the ring element are such as to receive about one quarter of the periphery of the ring element whereby said clamping means can receive an element in a first direction of movement relative to the clamping means and can release the element by movement in a second direction of relative movement perpendicular to said first direction. 
     
     
       13. A method for securing a ring element to a tape including the steps of: supplying a horizontally disposed ring element to a delivery point and inserting said element in a ring holding and transfer device, and holding said element in said device by minor portion of its periphery,   advancing tape in a first direction to position a free end of the tape in overlapping relationship with the element,   placing a support under a portion of said element not engaged by the holding and transfer device,   punching a free end portion of the tape through the element,   withdrawing said support,   moving the element horizontally in said first direction through the operative part of a joining machine in such manner that the free end portion of the tape engages a bed of the machine and is folded alongside a main portion of the tape to position both thicknesses of tape in the operative part of the joining machine, and   operating said joining machine to join the free end portion of tape to the main portion of the tape.   
     
     
       14. Apparatus for threading first and second tapes through a ring element and for securing said second tape to said element, comprising: means for holding an end of said first tape extended in first horizontal direction,   a ring holding and transfer device arranged to receive a said ring element when horizontally disposed,   tape advancing means for advancing the second tape in a horizontal direction close to said first horizontal direction to position a free end of the tape in overlapping relation with said ring element held by said device,   means for punching a free end portion of the tape through the ring while held by said clamping means,   means for moving said device horizontally to move said ring element in a path close to said first horizontal direction, through the operative part of a joining machine in such manner that the free end portion of the tape engages a bed of the machine and is folded alongside a main portion of the tape to place both portions of tape in the operative part of the machine to allow said portions to be joined together to secure the element to said second tape,   rotating a ring holding portion of said device to orientate said ring element in a vertical plane, and   means for advancing said device further with the vertically orientated ring moving in said first horizontal direction for feeding said ring onto the said end of said first tape.   
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said ring holding and transfer device has clamping means for the ring element which are such as to receive about one quarter the periphery of the ring element whereby said clamping means can receive a ring in a horizontal direction of movement perpendicular to said first horizontal direction and whereby, after rotation of the ring into the horizontal plane and feeding of the ring onto said end of the first tape, the clamping means can release the ring by vertical movement relative thereto, said apparatus further comprising means for temporarily supporting the ring element during punching of the tape therethrough.